Future dog is not ANNNNNYYYYTTTTIIIIMMMMEEEEE soon.... but definitely been thinking about what I want down the road.

I have a feeling I'll end up with another Ibizan. I really really like the breed and the more I'm learning about them, experiencing, etc... the more I want to be more involved with the breed and possibly be involved somehow with the breed's future. Might end up with a show bitch for my next one. Right now I'm really trying to dig deep and learn more about the different lines and decide where I want to plug in if that makes sense. I don't know if I'll end up with a wire or smooth yet. I used to be all about the smooths, but after having a wire I actually am falling more in love with the wire coats too. Right now the biggest thing isn't even wire vs smooth... it's finding the right person to mentor me in all things Ibizan... that includes showing/handling, lure coursing, what to look for, what to avoid, etc. Future Ibizan bitch may be my foundation bitch if I end up doing any breeding, but that's not something I intend on doing unless I have a breeder I trust mentoring me through the process at least in the beginning and provided health testing clears.

That said I do want to have at least one Xoloitzcuintli one day... one of my major future want breeds. I'd run out and get one tomorrow if I could though I do want my next dog to be another dog I can do lure coursing with and well Xolo's aren't sighthounds.

And there's always going to be a spot for herding type breeds.... would love to own a kelpie one day...

Oh decisions....

More than likely.... like 99.9% likely... my next dog will be another Ibizan though and right now I'm thinking this wont happen for another 2-3 years down the road... maybe longer.

It sucks though when you know it's going to be so far down the road before you can have future dog, but future dog is on your mind right now... oy...

It does really suck having so long to wait... especially for me because my mind changes every week because I want to experience and do so much. I won't make a decision until I actually have the resources and am ready to bring home a pup.

Heck, Recon was supposed to be an Am Staff!

On a weekly basis, I rotate between GSD, Am Staff, Ibizan, and Viszla. lol.

I've actually been talking to a few Ibizan breeders also and thinking about buying a foundation bitch in 2014. But we'll see what I want to do when the time comes. lol. I will likely not be living near either of the breeders at the time so I may decide against it. I know of a niiice wire litter planned in spring of 2014 though!

I'm kind of guilty of this but I think while it's great to contemplate the future and set goals, you can also spend so much time thinking about the future that you miss parts of the present. Whenever I start daydreaming about Nextdog, I go do something with my current dogs. It usually makes the dog want less and it makes me realize I have the two best dogs on the planet *coughnotbiasedcough*.

I'm at the point now where I could really just go get another dog now and be fine but... I'm really finding I want to wait longer. My girls' training is coming together nicely. I like that I have whim 'dog money' to sign Summer up for nosework or something like that. With Nextdog, I'll have to devote a ton of time and money to my pup and... not sure I want to do that just yet.

It'll happen when it happens and there will be a great dog for me. I have gone and talked to some breeders to get that rolling but I try not to dwell on it. I'm pretty sure I know which direction I'll be going with Nextdog but there's always a 'who knows what will happen' too. There's a bunch of breeds I enjoy a lot and would enjoy owning. Nextdog is a goal I have for the future but not the focus. The focus is the great stuff happening now with my two girls.

So yeah... when you feel the new dog itch, grab one of your current dogs and try something new. That's my motto anyways.

Honestly I would just let the breed thing work itself out.. I know it's hard to not think about but with trying for a child, with Bamms issues, with your other pets (rats, snakes, cat etc..), the other dogs, it's a busy household! lol with lots of factors that could change (living situation, family, etc..)
IMO when the time is right, the right breed and right litter will work itself out. There is no way to plan that far ahead for these things I'm afraid.

I am pretty bad that way myself unfortunately.
The other day I was looking at doberman breeders for me in 10 years when I am not renting in a city and have the time for another dog.

I ran across this post on chaz, i don't even remember who wrote it but it was like "The best dog is the dog you have" or something. And I realized how easy it is to get sucked into the excitement of the new dog (activities you are going to do, different things you are going to train, mistakes you aren't going to make that time around, looking at breeders etc..) but at the end of the day I'm so much happier focusing on the dog I DO have. Who is pretty awesome lol and realizing that my life is busy enough and I don't need another.
So my new focus has been to focus on Merlin and not worry about the future dog wise. Maybe I'll get another, maybe I won't.. there are too many factors to be able to tell what kind or if at all.

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Disclaimer: I work for Trupanion and love it/our policy! But I do not speak for the company or as the company.

I'm kind of guilty of this but I think while it's great to contemplate the future and set goals, you can also spend so much time thinking about the future that you miss parts of the present. Whenever I start daydreaming about Nextdog, I go do something with my current dogs. It usually makes the dog want less and it makes me realize I have the two best dogs on the planet *coughnotbiasedcough*.

I'm at the point now where I could really just go get another dog now and be fine but... I'm really finding I want to wait longer. My girls' training is coming together nicely. I like that I have whim 'dog money' to sign Summer up for nosework or something like that. With Nextdog, I'll have to devote a ton of time and money to my pup and... not sure I want to do that just yet.

It'll happen when it happens and there will be a great dog for me. I have gone and talked to some breeders to get that rolling but I try not to dwell on it. I'm pretty sure I know which direction I'll be going with Nextdog but there's always a 'who knows what will happen' too. There's a bunch of breeds I enjoy a lot and would enjoy owning. Nextdog is a goal I have for the future but not the focus. The focus is the great stuff happening now with my two girls.

So yeah... when you feel the new dog itch, grab one of your current dogs and try something new. That's my motto anyways.

This is basically how I feel, except that means I usually have the opposite problem. I'm not sure if I even want a second dog sometimes, because I already have a pretty cool dog that could do everything I wanted to do

Of course I'm also just more anxious about the idea than others would be, because I've only ever had this one dog. So there's always that!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fran101

I ran across this post on chaz, i don't even remember who wrote it but it was like "The best dog is the dog you have" or something.

That was actually Laurelin, in the "Dog Owner Lessons" thread I remembered because I really liked that thought as well.

and if trying for a baby... your life will make a dramatic change and that next dog may get pushed back farther than you think! I thought by now I would forsure have a second dog. Yeah, no thanks. I think I probably won't have one for another 5 at this stage in the game.

I would just pick two breeds and do a ton of researching on them. Sounds like if you want to get that involved with one breed line research is the way to go.

So yeah... when you feel the new dog itch, grab one of your current dogs and try something new. That's my motto anyways.

So true.

In the last month or two I've finally found myself content with the dogs I have because we are finally making progress and happy. It's hard to focus on the dogs you have when they're riddled with problems and aren't easy to live with, but now so much more than ever I am so happy with the three I have and being able to spend money to do more with them. Classes, trials, and trips! So much so that I really don't see myself getting another dog for another 3-5 years. If Tug had come along just a little sooner, I would have adopted him. I really want him, but I am too happy with three that are up for anything right now. I don't want to worry about training a fourth or potential issues now that we are *perfect*

I'm kind of guilty of this but I think while it's great to contemplate the future and set goals, you can also spend so much time thinking about the future that you miss parts of the present. Whenever I start daydreaming about Nextdog, I go do something with my current dogs. It usually makes the dog want less and it makes me realize I have the two best dogs on the planet *coughnotbiasedcough*.

I'm at the point now where I could really just go get another dog now and be fine but... I'm really finding I want to wait longer. My girls' training is coming together nicely. I like that I have whim 'dog money' to sign Summer up for nosework or something like that. With Nextdog, I'll have to devote a ton of time and money to my pup and... not sure I want to do that just yet.

It'll happen when it happens and there will be a great dog for me. I have gone and talked to some breeders to get that rolling but I try not to dwell on it. I'm pretty sure I know which direction I'll be going with Nextdog but there's always a 'who knows what will happen' too. There's a bunch of breeds I enjoy a lot and would enjoy owning. Nextdog is a goal I have for the future but not the focus. The focus is the great stuff happening now with my two girls.

So yeah... when you feel the new dog itch, grab one of your current dogs and try something new. That's my motto anyways.

This! I am SO guilty of doing tons of researching, googling, finding breeds and breeders... and I still enjoy it, but I have to remind myself that it wouldn't be the BEST thing for me right now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Equinox

This is basically how I feel, except that means I usually have the opposite problem. I'm not sure if I even want a second dog sometimes, because I already have a pretty cool dog that could do everything I wanted to do

Of course I'm also just more anxious about the idea than others would be, because I've only ever had this one dog. So there's always that!

That was actually Laurelin, in the "Dog Owner Lessons" thread I remembered because I really liked that thought as well.

This too! I totally get when someone has a dog that they currently can't really do anything they want to do with (i.e. you got a dog that just... didn't match you at all, still love it very much, but want a dog capable of doing what you desire). But for me? I just tell myself how lucky I am... Jackson is basically everything I could ever want in a dog. He's an amazing dog to try anything and everything with from agility to dock diving to just hiking or traveling around with me. He's really a great all around dog for me. WHY do I NEED another? lol... I have to tell myself this, because I definitely fantasize about what breed I'm going to have next, etc, but I'm currently just trying to take advantage of my situation, it's very "easy" with Jackson because he's my "go to" dog. I obsessed about a second breed/dog for a long time and I'm kinda chill about it now, because I'm so content at the moment and am scared to rock the boat.

I know we've had convos about this before and in some ways, Trent & Jackson remind me of each other, and me and you, lol, similar ages etc, so I totally understand where you're coming from!!

I agree with Fran, there are so many more things on the go in your life right now. I totally understand the "new dog want", but between Bamm and possible baby issues, plus other things, I wouldn't be too concerned about which breed you're going to end up with next years down the road. It's nice to think about, but you might feel vastly different in two or three years. Or not, but you can always think about it again then.

And Laurelin's post is spot on as well! Before I got Journey, I thought a lot about my next dog. I wanted another like two years prior to even getting Journey, because I didn't have a dog that I could do the things I wanted to do with a dog. But, I tried to push the Nextdog thought to the back of my mind and just enjoy the dogs I had as much as possible. Because they are wonderful in so many ways. And then when the time came that I actually was going to get another puppy, there were moments where I was super content with the dogs I did have and worried that a puppy might just go and ruin everything haha.

And to be honest, four dogs can be a lot and while it's certainly doable and enjoyable, I wouldn't have added a fourth had I already had the type of dog I really wanted/felt like I needed. The Dobermans simply don't enjoy doing the things I enjoy doing with dogs, and Dance is kind of a sketchy dog and none of my plans for her panned out. And I wouldn't have added a fourth if I thought all of my current dogs were going to be around for another 10 years. And I knew my plan could backfire and I might end up with four dogs that weren't quite what I was hoping for, but thankfully that didn't happen, although I would've loved them all anyway of course. And if I was planning on having a baby, I definitely don't think I'd want four dogs/plan to add a fourth puppy until baby was older maybe.

Anyway, I know you already do enjoy and love your dogs a lot, but just enjoy the dogs you have and when the time is right, you'll figure out what you want next and end up with it. :-)

No matter how much we plan, sometimes things just work out differently anyway. I flopped between five different breeds before Journey (Aussies, another Toller, Border Collies, Kelpies and Koolies), was 99% sure I was going to get an entirely different breed and did a lot of research on it, and on somewhat of a whim changed my mind and went for one of the others I'd given thought to instead. And it all just kind of happened and worked out exactly as it should have.

And now I barely think of "Nextdog" at all. Eventhough I know in a year or two I'll be back down to two dogs (moving out on my own) and possibly able to add a third, but I really just don't think I want anymore dogs to take away from my time with Journey and Dance. They're my perfect pair and I don't want to disrupt anything. Occasionally it crosses my mind that I might want a puppy from a possible repeat litter that could happen in a few years, or maybe a puppy out of one of Journ's sisters if that happens, but I dunno. I no longer feel any kind of 'need' for another dog at all, which is nice. While Nextdog is fun to think about, sometimes it's not the best reality! So I'll just wait and see what life brings.